CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS AT HONG KONG

Hong Kong is located in the eastern region of the Asian continent and shares its border with the South China Sea. Hong Kong is home to various races, tribes and religions. However, the majority if the total population of Hong Kong is covered by the Chinese, especially the Cantonese people from Mainland China. So it is obvious that Hong Kong has developed a multicultural ambiance. This is the reason behind the diversity in the customs and traditions in Hong Kong. Various customs and traditions from the different religions have been accepted in the tradition of Hong Kong.

Not only in religious purposes, but also regarding business, there are several customs maintained by the local people in Hong Kong. Chinese people believe that following these customs would help them to prosper and achieve success in the business. The custom is in fact using a kind of diviner or geomancer so that the feng shui can be determined. They do it before doing some new event or entering a new building. Hong Kong people practice this custom very seriously and with dedication.

Though there are various religions in Hong Kong such as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism etc, Buddhism is the dominant religion here. The different local festivals and other holidays reflect mostly the Buddhist rituals and customs. At the occasion of Chinese New Year, they distribute red lai see envelopes bearing the annual bonus in it. This is a Buddhist custom. Some other local festivals in Hong Kong are Ching Ming Festival, Tuen Ng Festival or the Dragon Boat Festival, Festival of the Hungry Ghost, Moon Cake -Lantern Festival, Chung Yeung Festival and so on.

Then there are the wedding rituals. From the ancient era, the wedding has been considered as a traditional event that involves several customs. One has to go through several stages too get married. These are the Proposal, the Betrothal, Preparing for the Wedding Day, the Day of the Wedding and at last the Wedding. The Day of the Wedding also include some customs such as the "Hair Dressing" Ritual, the "Capping" Ritual, the Bride's Journey to the Groom's House, Arriving at the Groom's House etc. The list doesn't end here. There are some post-wedding rituals also that have to be followed. These are Day After the Wedding, Three Days After the Wedding and so on. All these customs and rituals are practiced so that the newly married couple can live happily after marriage.